Urgent Care is the middle ground between your primary care provider and the Emergency Department. Urgent Care is the way to go if you have a minor illness or injury that can’t wait until tomorrow. Also, it is a good option if you have illnesses or injuries without other symptoms or if you do not have other underlying health conditions. For example, an earache can easily be treated in Urgent Care. However, suppose it is accompanied by a high fever (104 F or higher), or you have a history of cancer or are on immune-suppressing medication. In that case, having it checked out in the Emergency Department is essential.

Urgent Care clinics are typically staffed with physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and nurses. Some urgent care clinics have physicians on staff as well. Urgent Care providers can order basic labs and imaging tests, such as X-rays, to help them provide diagnoses and develop treatment plans. Urgent Care clinics have set hours and an established list of conditions treated. As a result, Urgent Care clinics often are less expensive and have shorter wait times than Emergency Departments.

Patient’s Primary Care Physicians staff many urgent care facilities for consistent and reliable care. Many of these Physicians are Emergency room doctors, internal medicine or Family practice professionals who see patients for routine checkups and visits.

Here are examples of types of conditions treated in Urgent Care clinics and Emergency Departments:

Urgent Care clinic:

• Back or muscle pain
• Bronchitis
• Cuts and minor burns
• Diarrhea
• Earache
• Skin conditions
• Sprains or joint pain
• Upper respiratory infection
• Urinary tract infections
• Vomiting